International Business Timeshttp://www.ibtimes.com
enPremature Births Soar: U.S. On Par With Third-World Countrieshttp://www.ibtimes.com/premature-births-soar-us-par-third-world-countries-695647
The number of premature births has skyrocketed, according to a new report published by the World Health Organization on Wednesday. Between 1995 and 2010 the number of premature births doubled from 3 percent of all births worldwide to 6 percent -- an increase that requires swift and urgent action to stop, the report said.http://www.ibtimes.com/premature-births-soar-us-par-third-world-countries-695647Thu, 03 May 2012 13:38:41 -0400New Evidence In 'Ice Mummy? Murder Mysteryhttp://www.ibtimes.com/new-evidence-ice-mummy-murder-mystery-695478
After a two decades-long investigation, researchers discovered that Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old ice mummy, found preserved under ice in the Alps in 1991, indeed died shortly after being shot with an arrow.http://www.ibtimes.com/new-evidence-ice-mummy-murder-mystery-695478Thu, 03 May 2012 11:06:03 -0400Mandatory Heart Screens Could Save Thousands Of Newbornshttp://www.ibtimes.com/mandatory-heart-screens-could-save-thousands-newborns-695061
Thousands of newborns could be saved if the U.S. and UK institute mandatory screening for life-threatening heart defects, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal The Lancet.
Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London recommend that all newborn babies undergo a screening using pulse oximetry -- a cheap, non-invasive instrument that measures blood oxygen levels and can be used to diagnose congenital heart defects.http://www.ibtimes.com/mandatory-heart-screens-could-save-thousands-newborns-695061Wed, 02 May 2012 16:36:54 -0400Dog Excrement Keeps The Lights On At Arizona Parkhttp://www.ibtimes.com/dog-excrement-keeps-lights-arizona-park-695028
Students from Arizona State University have come up with a novel way to reduce waste around the local dog park and cut energy costs using a dog waste digester -- a device that creates poo-powered electricity.http://www.ibtimes.com/dog-excrement-keeps-lights-arizona-park-695028Wed, 02 May 2012 16:07:35 -0400Garlic 100 Times Better Than Antibiotics For Food Poisoninghttp://www.ibtimes.com/garlic-100-times-better-antibiotics-food-poisoning-694737
Garlic may be the best weapon against a type of bacteria responsible for millions of cases of food poisoning in the United States every year, according to a new study. Researchers from Washington State University discovered that a compound found in garlic was 100 times more effective than antibiotics at killing Campylobacter, most common cause of food-borne bacterial illness in the United States.http://www.ibtimes.com/garlic-100-times-better-antibiotics-food-poisoning-694737Wed, 02 May 2012 11:03:09 -0400Taser Guns Can Cause Heart Attacks, Study Sayshttp://www.ibtimes.com/taser-guns-can-cause-heart-attacks-study-says-694305
The shock from a Taser can cause cardiac arrest and kill you, according a new study published by the American Medical Association. Researchers analyzed records of eight people who went into cardiac arrest after being shocked with a Taser, seven of whom died, and concluded that the purportedly non-lethal weapon is anything but.http://www.ibtimes.com/taser-guns-can-cause-heart-attacks-study-says-694305Tue, 01 May 2012 16:51:55 -0400Painkiller Addiction Increasingly Common In Newbornshttp://www.ibtimes.com/painkiller-addiction-increasingly-common-newborns-694153
When you picture a person going through painkiller withdrawals, a baby crying in his crib is usually not the first image that comes to mind. But the number of babies born with withdrawal symptoms has skyrocketed since 2000, according to a new study.
In 2000, approximately 4,300 babies were born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, a condition that occurs in some babies that were exposed to opiates such as heroin, Vicodin and oxycodone in the womb, according to the study. In 2009, the number jumped 300 percent to 13,000.http://www.ibtimes.com/painkiller-addiction-increasingly-common-newborns-694153Tue, 01 May 2012 14:41:11 -0400Breast Cancer Test Could Spot Disease A Decade Earlierhttp://www.ibtimes.com/breast-cancer-test-could-spot-disease-decade-earlier-694099
A new genetic test may be able to predict breast cancer up to a decade before it is diagnosed, according to a new study.
Researchers from Imperial College London analyzed the blood of study participants for the presence of certain genetic factors that could indicate a higher risk of breast cancer, finding that high levels of a genetic switch that modifies a single gene on white blood cells, found in 20 percent of women, more than doubles their risk of developing breast cancer.http://www.ibtimes.com/breast-cancer-test-could-spot-disease-decade-earlier-694099Tue, 01 May 2012 13:22:39 -0400Top 10 Most Polluted Cities In The U.S.: Is It Safe To Breathe Where You Live? [SLIDESHOW]http://www.ibtimes.com/top-10-most-polluted-cities-us-it-safe-breathe-where-you-live-slideshow-700266
Over 120 million Americans live in areas with pollution levels that make breathing dangerous, according to a report by the American Lung Association. The organization released its State of the Air 2012 report on Wednesday detailing the levels of air pollution in cities across the United States.
The report found that while many cities made improvements over their pollution levels from 2011, pollution is still a very real problem.
State of the Air shows that we're making real and steady progress in cutting dangerous pollution from the air we breathe, Charles Connor, American Lung Association president, said in a statement. But despite these improvements, America's air quality standards are woefully outdated, and unhealthy levels of air pollution still exist across the nation, putting the health of millions of Americans at stake.
Air pollution can seriously impact your health, causing and aggravating asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Research conducted by NIEHS scientists has shown that long-term exposure to air pollutants increases the risk of respiratory illnesses such as allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer, the organization says on its website. Data collected by NIEHS-funded scientists at the University of Southern California suggest that exposure to pollutants in vehicle and fossil fuel emissions may hinder lung development and limit breathing capacity for a lifetime. Their research shows that children who live in highly polluted communities are five times more likely to have clinically low lung function-less than 80% of the lung function normal for their age.
If you live in an area with heavy air pollution, the American Lung Association recommends you limit your exposure by avoiding exercise near high-traffic areas, avoiding smoke and reducing the use of fireplaces.
The American Lung Association analyzed data from air quality monitors to determine the most heavily polluted areas in the country. Do you live in one of the most polluted cities in America? Click through the slideshow to see.http://www.ibtimes.com/top-10-most-polluted-cities-us-it-safe-breathe-where-you-live-slideshow-700266Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:40:58 -0400New Bee Feeds On The Sweat Of New Yorkershttp://www.ibtimes.com/new-bee-feeds-sweat-new-yorkers-693872
A new type of bee has made its home in New York City parks - and this one might be more attracted to post-workout bodies than it is fragrant flowers. The bee is a new species of sweat bee, a class of insects that feeds on the salty sweat of humans and animals, according to researchers at American Museum of Natural History and Cornell University.http://www.ibtimes.com/new-bee-feeds-sweat-new-yorkers-693872Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:17:22 -0400